


Trinkets in the water

by Arkham_Cat



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft - Various Authors
Genre: Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I suppose?, M/M, Mild Angst, Past Character Death, mild out of character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:40:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28375563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arkham_Cat/pseuds/Arkham_Cat
Summary: “I’ve let you hold me back for way too long.” Shaw began, speaking to no one except the ghosts that may or may not be lingering there.“I loved you enough to look the other way to your crimes, until you gave me no other choice, but even then you held me back. I still loved you long after your death, Edwin.”
Relationships: Flynn Fairwind/Mathias Shaw, Mathias Shaw/Edwin VanCleef
Kudos: 25





	Trinkets in the water

**Author's Note:**

> Out of nowhere this story came to be.  
> Sort of based off my own head canon that Shaw carries a ring or something from his time with Edwin.

At one time, the Deadmines had been prosperous and full of noise and life.  
Now there were no sounds other than that of the water below gently lapping against the bottom of the abandoned Brotherhood ship, deep under the vast winding halls of the abandoned mine. 

Most avoided the mine entirely for fear of ghosts long forgotten or bandits hiding out scheming.

Mathias Shaw was one of few who braved the mine's potential dangers.  
He knew those tunnels like the back of his hand, knew every hidden nook full of treasure and every misplaced rock covering escape routes.

Years ago he’d walked down the tunnels beside the love of his life, now he walked those very tunnels alone, clutching the ring the other had given him like a lifeline. 

When times were less complicated, responsibility and loyalty hadn’t overshadowed love.

Edwin and Mathias had promised themselves to one another without much of a second thought to the future.  
They had been so deeply in love, nothing else had mattered.

The redhead had kept hold of that very ring through it all, even with the bloodstains.  
Edwin had been, at one point everything to the now spymaster.  
Therefore moving on had been almost out of the question.

That is until one Blue eyed, Sea soaked captain had stumbled his way into Mathias’s life, quickly cementing his place in the other man's heart after a few awry missions. 

Flynn Fairwaind had been like a glue to The broken pieces of Shaw’s heart that Edwin had left behind.

Even still it was hard to let go of the past.  
Shaw had kept hold of Edwin’s ring through the budding first months of his relationship with Flynn.  
To the spy’s surprise the Ex pirate hadn’t minded, simply wishing for Shaw to move forward at his own pace.

That brings us to now, already over half a year together and many months spent exploring Azeroth with one another. 

Westfall was one place Shaw avoided like the plague itself, but today he had road his horse determinedly with Flynn riding not too far behind, Destination in sight. 

He’d gone into the mines alone on purpose, to do one simple thing.  
Move on.

Everything had been left relatively as it had been before the Brotherhood's demise. Even a few tables lined with beer bottles and playing cards. Now coated in dust we’re left untouched by time. 

“I’ve let you hold me back for way too long.” Shaw began, speaking to no one except the ghosts that may or may not be lingering there.

“I loved you enough to look the other way to your crimes, until you gave me no other choice, but even then you held me back. I still loved you long after your death, Edwin.”

Shaw let out a rueful chuckle, green eyes looking longingly over the small silver ring sat in the middle of his palm.  
It looked so much smaller than it used too, as if the importance and significance it had lost has somehow made it shrink. Even though that was impossible.

“Maybe to some extent I still feel that way, but it’s time to move on.”

A small smile formed over the spy’s features, his green eyes passing from the ring over to the water below. 

“I’ve moved on, I think in some other universe you two would have gotten along well.” Mathias chuckled softly, giving the ring in his palm a squeeze.  
“He reminds me of you on occasion.”

Walking closer to the wooden railing of the ship’s deck, Mathias held his hand out above the lazily rippling water below.

“Goodbye, Edwin.”  
With that farewell, the delicate ring was dropped into the waters below, left to remain where a love had been lost.   
———-  
The walk back up through the tunnels had been different then the previous walk down in, a significant weight had been lifted from the spymasters shoulders. 

Leaning against a tree trunk, Flynn stood waiting outside the mine.  
He hadn’t seen Shaw return, only noticing the others presence when he stood before him. 

“How ya feeling, Mattie?”   
Asked the brunette, uncrossing his arms to gently play his hands on each of his partner’s shoulders.

Mathias hadn’t told Flynn what he was going to do, but the ex pirate had a suspicion. He’d noticed the spy had stopped wearing it around his neck awhile back, letting go completely seemed the logical next step.

“Good, I feel good.” Shaw moved in closer to the taller man, wrapping his arms around his waist. “Everything I need is here, what I left behind was simply holding me back.” 

Flynn wrapped his arms tight around the spy, resting his chin atop the shorter men's red hair.   
“I’ve got everything I need here as well, love.” He whispered back, tightening his hold on the other just a little. 

Despite the feeling of freedom, Flynn was sure his partner was feeling what he had taken more strength than most could muster. 

The brunette was determined to be there for the spy, every step of their journey together.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> All the support I receive fuels my brain.  
> lol


End file.
